Fort Benning: Companies Demo Armed Robots for Ground Combat
October 15th, 2013You know why they chained the weapon to posts in the ground, right?
*chortle*
See: ED209 Malfunction
Via: Computerworld:
A weaponized robot acting as a member of a squad of U.S. soldiers fighting on the battlefield is no longer science fiction. They may not be two-legged, humanoid robots yet, but with wheels or tracks they are able to follow troops through a wide range of terrain and back them up in battle.
Both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marines have tested prototypes of weaponized robots on the battlefield. However, armed robots are not currently in the Army’s inventory of weapons.
Army leaders got a look at what technology is available for the battlefield during a robotic live-fire demonstration at Fort Benning, Ga., this week.
…
“We were hoping to see how they remotely control lethal weapons,” said Lt. Col. Willie Smith, chief of Unmanned Ground Vehicles at Fort Benning. “We were pleased with what we saw here. The technology is getting to be where it needs to be. It’s a start.”
Smith, who was looking to see multiple weapons systems mounted on the robots, said he’s uncertain how soon the Army will begin using weaponized robots on the battlefield, but he’s hoping it will happen within five years.
